Torquay United Association Football Club - Sole Director Clarke Osborne

greb46 · Post by **greb46** » 24 Jan 2018, 08:01

Southampton Gull wrote: 24 Jan 2018, 07:57 ...............and the improvements made at the site in Reading are clear for all to see......................

Visionary ,only his vision slightly differs to everyone else's!

torregull · Post by **torregull** » 24 Jan 2018, 10:02

A few drainage problems at Swindon are nothing compared to the toxic waste problems he'll encounter at Nightingale Park(give him some great excuses though)

Neal · Post by **Neal** » 24 Jan 2018, 12:28

torregull wrote: 24 Jan 2018, 10:02 A few drainage problems at Swindon are nothing compared to the toxic waste problems he'll encounter at Nightingale Park(give him some great excuses though)

You can just imagine cant you.

1) Council decide Plainmoor freehold can be sold
2) Its put to tender with a proviso that another home must be found for the club
3) Property developer other than CO wins = groundd sharing with a another
4) CO wins, loads of PR to keep you lot on board, all bullshit of course
5) Ground share with a another until new stadium built at Nightingale Park - Well that's the PR
6) Plainmoor developed for housing, CO makes a killing
7) oooooh problem with redeveloping land at NP, not so straight forward
8) Years pass
9) You lot get fedup with ground sharing, forget whats happened. And the mantra is still, "well you got to keep supporting the club" as it languishes I in Southern league div 1
10) CO buys new house in Barbados with his profit, nice out here
11) Crowds now down to 400
12) years pass
13) CO buys another club and attention is now there, same mantra of course
14) Company that was to build stadium is wound up
15) TUFC now ground sharing offered to TUST, there we are lads you got what you **** wanted, I told you I would hand it over to the fans
16) Job **** DONE!

Neal · Post by **Neal** » 24 Jan 2018, 12:32

And that my friends is close to the 5 or 10 year plan - njoy!

Yorkieandy · Post by **Yorkieandy** » 24 Jan 2018, 13:19

The Hartlepool situation is interesting as many reports suggest that even if the club went bust and were reformed then the local council would be happy to let the reformed club still use Victoria Park.

Wouldn't it be really helpful if Torbay council came out and stated that the freehold wasn't for sale and so long as there is a football club of any description then it will be able to play at Plainmoor so long as it meets costs. A simple statement of intent would see CO leave the club i'm sure and new owners could be sought. So maybe we should really be panning the council here to release such a statement of confirmation?

If the intention of the council was to retain the Plainmoor freehold full stop then they should say so and send CO packing. As they haven't then IMO they are happily going to sell it to the highest bidder when the time comes and leads me to believe that some sort of arrangement between both parties has already been reached in principal, although obviously there is no concrete proof of this. Just a theory.

I guess we'll find out when the land is sold in a few years time.

When you think about it logically though, the football club gets relatively little or no interest from anyone in the bay and in terms of community stuff it's hardly having a huge positive impact and influence on the community it serves therefore from the point of view of the council, what's the point in keeping a failing club going just to appease what will soon be 1000ish fans. It's of more benefit to the council to make money off the land and put it back into the pot for the benefit of every council tax payer.

westyorkshiregull · Post by **westyorkshiregull** » 24 Jan 2018, 14:38

Different era and not quite same predicament. However there is some similar things with the Newport situation 30 years and it's a really interesting watch.
Esp how they restarted as a new club after the old club went bankrupt through a dodgy owner called jerry Sherman. Again I'm not saying it exactly the same but it's gripping stuff !!!!

SenorDingDong · Post by **SenorDingDong** » 24 Jan 2018, 14:42

greb46 wrote: 24 Jan 2018, 07:52 I can’t go into too much detail, because of the other organisations involved, but a huge amount of money has already been spent on drainage of the speedway site and we find that there are still problems. We have a stadium packed up in sections in a car park in Port Talbot in South Wales, waiting to be transported to Swindon and erected.Clark Osborn statement, re Swindon stadium,probably the stadium provided courtesy of IKEA.

Ignoring CO's nefarious intentions for the freehold, this constant talk of pre-fabricated stadium pieces in Wales really doesn't fill me full of confident that if CO isn't a shyster and we do get a stadium (wonder of wonders), that it will be any good at all. A pre-fabricated stadium sounds like the absolute cheapest mechano kit way of building a new stadium, current Plainmoor is superior to that.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 25 Jan 2018, 02:07

SenorDingDong wrote: 24 Jan 2018, 14:42 Ignoring CO's nefarious intentions for the freehold, this constant talk of pre-fabricated stadium pieces in Wales really doesn't fill me full of confident that if CO isn't a shyster and we do get a stadium (wonder of wonders), that it will be any good at all. A pre-fabricated stadium sounds like the absolute cheapest mechano kit way of building a new stadium, current Plainmoor is superior to that.

Any planning put forward to the council for a new stadium, I expect, would be very similar to Scarborough Athletic Football Clubs £15 million, 2,000 seat stadium & leisure development. The clients there are Scarborough Council although some of the funding was raised with a bit of land swapping with the council and the developers. For Scarborough it is great as it means that after ten years, the town can get its club back again! However, given that Scarbroughs 2,000 seat stadium tallied up to £15 million and Forest Green Rover have unveiled plans for 5,000 seat sports stadium at a cost of £100m just how much will a 6,000 stadium at Nightingale Park cost with a train station, acres of car parking space for a lower support base and leisure facilities for the whole of the Torbay Community . It beggers belief to think CO is actually going to fund any proposal put forward to the council. From my perspective I can now see why Osborne is seen as a wrecking ball with a history of razing stadiums on the promise of building replacements that never materialise.

Scarborough Athletic Ground (Grandstand)

goody2449 · Post by **goody2449** » 25 Jan 2018, 06:55

If we use Chesterfield as an example, their stadium, the Proact Stadium, along with adjacent infrastructure, cost £13,000,000. with a capacity of 10,500.

I'm not sure who the contractor is for Forest greens new plans but he's on to a winner!!

Although I agree CO is no way going to fund the TUFC project I am an avid believer that a new complex which includes a new stadium would be good for both the club and the town. (if we still have a club in the future!!)

Just need to win the bloody EuroMillions to fund the dream!!!

westyorkshiregull · Post by **westyorkshiregull** » 25 Jan 2018, 07:48

So is it one of 2 possible

So would osborne either need to
a. Sell plainmoor first to raise money to build a new stadia ? Would be the either ground share or stay at plainmoor while the people who buy the land fund the new stadia

Or b. I assume he can't build this new complex without the guarantee of plainmoor cash ( I know this won't happen but what the options )

Or c. A contractors builds the complex in return in for plainmoor.

Would CO ( OR ANY BUSINESS CONNECTTED TO HIM ) ACTUALLY OWN THE WHOLE NEW COMPLEX ??

BLOODY HELL 150000 GETS YOU A LOT THESE DAYS

I CAN SEE WHY THE PROMISE OF LEAGUE FOOTBALL ECT ECT ECT .....COR ANYONE CAN SEE WHAT A GOLDEN CHANCE HE HAS AND WOULD DO ANYTHING TO GET HIS HANDS ON IT

He is a businessman and bloody good one. But unlike Mike bateson who actually lived and breathed the club , osbornes just occasionly does statements and rides the torquay united propergander machine. I do understand also some money has been put into the running of the club

Has he even got the under carriage to even turn up for a game ? Why not do a forum with him on the microphone. I'm sure we could all be mature and civil and ask the questions and speak to him !!! It's not personal for me , he is a businessman and that's he occupation. He is not a fan/owner

We could chip in for a small amplifier and a microphone like that last forum

Will he care for the club so much once it's done ? Maybe I guess as the club in assuming will paying a handsome sum to play there ?

Will the club be sold on , or given away even once the whole thing happens ( if It happens )

What's worth more plainmoor land or new complex ??

Will any public money be used ??

No doubt I love plainmoor and its impressive and the security of council lease.
I'm for staying at plainmoor 100% . There are so many unanswered questions over this plan. Even if it was considered there are too many doubts. Stadia in car parks , football clubs exiled for 10 years , land that once held sport now just derelict. Broken promises , no public forum or consultation.
Wants us to believe in this reality of that's the future well come and discuss it with the fans.
I'm assuming we are only going to be a part of this complex , talk to me CO about the VISION

Too much conjuncture over all of this. I know what myself and all the others think.

I personally think if CO wants any of us to remotely consider anything he should hold a public meeting / forum or whatever you call it.

That's actually with him and not a representive.

Come on Clarke what is there to hide. I know if if had a vision which benefited and secured the future of the club I would be on every street corner tell everyone i could find about it.
I would be presenting detailed reasons why , facts and figures. Living the dream

Come on then Clarke lets not hide away up there in the Cotswolds or where ever you live

Meeting please Clarke

merse btpir · Post by **merse btpir** » 25 Jan 2018, 09:12

MellowYellow wrote: 25 Jan 2018, 02:07 I can now see why Osborne is seen as a wrecking ball with a history of razing stadiums on the promise of building replacements that never materialise.

Yorkieandy · Post by **Yorkieandy** » 25 Jan 2018, 10:52

MellowYellow wrote: 25 Jan 2018, 02:07 Any planning put forward to the council for a new stadium, I expect, would be very similar to Scarborough Athletic Football Clubs £15 million, 2,000 seat stadium & leisure development. The clients there are Scarborough Council although some of the funding was raised with a bit of land swapping with the council and the developers. For Scarborough it is great as it means that after ten years, the town can get its club back again! However, given that Scarbroughs 2,000 seat stadium tallied up to £15 million and Forest Green Rover have unveiled plans for 5,000 seat sports stadium at a cost of £100m just how much will a 6,000 stadium at Nightingale Park cost with a train station, acres of car parking space for a lower support base and leisure facilities for the whole of the Torbay Community . It beggers belief to think CO is actually going to fund any proposal put forward to the council. From my perspective I can now see why Osborne is seen as a wrecking ball with a history of razing stadiums on the promise of building replacements that never materialise.

Scarborough Athletic Ground (Grandstand)

Ah the good old Flamingo Land Stadium, Scarborough. Been in the shed end there a few times now and in fact they are the club i most go and watch. I'm just so impressed by everything they have done there and can't help thinking that if Torquay could emulate them then TUFC would have a positive future.

Tuesday night there was nearly 1,100 there for a night county cup game against Pickering Town! Compare that to Torquay's last home league game in the NL. Scarborough are 4 divisions below Torquay and it is a lot smaller town and when you factor in the likes of nearby Middlesbrough, Hull and a bit further afield Leeds then the progression they are making and the crowds they are getting is remarkable.

It does feel like Scarborough is alive and vibrant whilst Torquay is dying and exhausted. It's the way forward folks!

Also Chesterfield. There is no adjacent infrastructure. There is a huge TESCO that dwarfs it, an ALDI and across the road is a little gym thingy. That's it. There is nothing else but shops and fast food outlets. It's just a soulless bowl of a stadium shoehorned into a space between things. There is no surrounding infrastructure. I can say this as i live 2 miles away.

Also the ground was part paid for by a council loan which i'm not even sure has been paid back yet. I'm certainly paying out of my council tax an i **** hate the club!

Yorkieandy · Post by **Yorkieandy** » 25 Jan 2018, 10:55

Great picture Merse!

I started to laugh then realized i'm probably actually heftier around the midriff than the man in the photo.

Teigngull · Post by **Teigngull** » 25 Jan 2018, 12:27

Yorkieandy wrote: 25 Jan 2018, 10:55 Great picture Merse!

I started to laugh then realized i'm probably actually heftier around the midriff than the man in the photo.

The man n the photo ? It's probably Merse ! :na:

westyorkshiregull · Post by **westyorkshiregull** » 25 Jan 2018, 14:15

It's a point someone made about the stadium . Plainmoor has that working man feel around the stadia. Stadia such doncaster which I been too does not , situated around retail units it's feel non organic and has no personality what so ever.

I would hate this

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